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The Church of Origins
The Church of Origins is a religion dating as far back as the first human settlement on the land that is now Bastion. It is an integral part of the City's life, having been integrated rather early in the structure of the State. The lower ranks of priests and monks serve the public directly and conduct common rituals, while those with the title of archon serve as magistrates and are instrumental to the organization of an orderly society. As such archons are almost always of noble birth, while anyone can become a priest or a monk. The Church of Origins sets above all else the preservation of tradition and laws as the ultimate Good: what are the laws of our ancestors if not true words of wisdom from masters inspired by the Universal Truth? It is thus a very conservative and ancient religion, striving for accumulation and archival of knowledge. The dogma of the Church is neither complex nor restraining; it is especially vague and tolerant, which lets the individual interpret the "supreme divine principle" in various ways. The Church doesn't care that much that individuals still believe in primitive or foreign gods, as long as said gods don't incite chaos and violence. However, the religion itself demands a constant effort of its worshipers, in the form of everyday rituals and rites of passage, as well as a general ethical behavior. The emphasis put on the notion of purity in those rituals is very significant. Yet, the purity and ethics are not exactly the same depending on which social class you belong to: while for nobles it exists in terms of honor and culture, for the common folk it's more a question of routine and practice at home with one's family. Its seat of power is the Cathedral Primeval, a great jagged building of white stone that appears to have risen directly from the earth. Travellers from the North have noted the similarity between the shape of the cathedral and an iceberg. It is often said that miles of tunnels and crypts are hidden under the Cathedral (possible future story element). *'Deacon of the People:' A lower rank in the Church of Origins dedicated to serving the people. Deacons perform common rituals and listen to the concerns and praises of the commonfolk, relating this information to the priests, who pass it to the Archons. Many of the Deacon’s daily duties involve speaking with people who feel they are straying from the path of knowledge and wisdom and giving them guidance on how they can once again listen to the elder knowledge the Church has to offer. *'''Shepherds: '''The Church of Origins is not a violent religion. It is concerned with preservation and order, and battle often disrupts as much as it helps. And yet, it must be remembered, Valor is one of the heavenly virtues. The Shepherds are the guardians of the church, and if need be their swords. They are an elite order, required to show virtue and to respect the rituals of the church as a priest, but also to keep their bodies honed and fit to better bar the door against evil. They can be recognized by their distinctive red cloaks, and many carry swords - of course, only ones properly blessed by the head of their temple. A Shepherd's duty is to protect - though most simply protect their temple and, often, the area around it, they are also sent on journeys or quests that the church deems important to the preservation of the community. A Shepherd might not go down into the sewers to fight the giant rat infestation, but he might show up to lead the city watch to a ring of smugglers bringing in a drug that the church strongly disapproves of. Some might even accompany traveling nobles on important missions, or appear at events concerning the Bastion family.